Method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption which is packed in a flexible plastic pouch type package kept stable at room temperature

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption, preferably a “Bologna sauce” that is packed in a flexible pouch type package, mostly known as “pouch”, that is able to remain stable at room temperature, therefore not requiring refrigeration to be preserved, transported, stored and exposed for sale is disclosed; more particularly, it is a method for preserving a “Bologna sauce” that keeps all its characteristics and quality without the need of a cold chain cooling and/or freezing) for that purpose; said manufacturing method could be applied to a number of different types of sauces that are usually sold under refrigeration presently.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention is related to a method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption, preferably a “Bologna sauce” that is packed in a flexible pouch type package, mostly known as “pouch”, that is able to remain stable at room temperature, therefore not requiring refrigeration to be preserved, transported, stored and exposed for sale; more particularly, it is a method for preserving a “Bologna sauce” that keeps all its characteristics and quality without the need of a cold chain cooling and/or freezing) for that purpose; said manufacturing method could be applied to a number of different types of sauces that are usually sold under refrigeration presently.

2. Background of the Invention

As is known, tomato sauces of the “ready for consumption” type are made comprising slightly concentrated tomato pulp provided or not with other ingredients and are either screened or contain small pieces of tomato. Some tomato sauces already contain ground meat, and are known as “Bologna sauces”, however, as is known, the amount of meat is quite low, so it should not be compared to the traditional Bologna sauce prepared using the right portion of ground meat.

Several of these ready-made sauces are packed in stainless steel cans or “long life” type boxes, which packages are able to preserve the ready-made product for a certain period.

However, as is known, in order to preserve the packed sauces such as described hereinabove, and to keep them without the need of refrigeration, preservatives should be added thereto, a fact that deprive them of the natural taste, what, to a number of consumers, is relevant when choosing other forms of preparation, such as, for example, the option for “ready-made dishes”, which are already known to be more elaborated and produced in a way that they are much alike the “home-made” taste.

However, as is known by the manufacturers of ready-made dishes for immediate consumption, including those containing tomato sauces and also Bologna sauces, in view of the fact that the tomato pulp contains beef in its formulation, it is required to refrigerate and/or freeze these products throughout the whole chain, from the manufacture, transportation, and storage to the exposition for sale, so that they can keep their original characteristics and quality, delaying the microbiological, enzymatic, and physical-chemical degradation process, because, without the cold chain mentioned herein, the product would not be suited for consumption after a certain period of time.

In the case of the “Sauces” found in the market that contain beef in their formulation and are already seasoned and cooked/baked/fried, this need is even more present. For the sake a better understanding of the objects of the present invention, a hypothetical prior art situation is shown hereinbelow, wherein tomato sauce (pulp) is packed in a stainless steel can or a “long life” box, which sauce will be used as the base for the preparation of the Bologna sauce, so that it can be quite the same as the home-made sauce:

a) buy a can/box containing tomato sauce (pulp);

b) buy a portion of ground meat, which should be “roasted” in a pan over the fire while it is stewed together with the spices (onion, garlic, parley and the like); and

c) mix the roasted stewed meat and the tomato sauce for a few minutes to obtain the “Bologna sauce” ready to be used.

When the “Bologna sauce”, such as the one prepared hereinabove, although being quite popular, is to be consumed later, it is recommended that it is kept under refrigeration for at most three days, since the consumer is responsible for keeping the temperature conditions and the quality of the product from the moment the product is prepared.

However, not everyone that prepares this type of foodstuff is technically able, that is, does not possess all the knowledge necessary to preserve the prepared food, therefore, causing the prepared food to be discarded and wasted. Thus, the conclusion is that this type of sauce, no matter how appreciated it can be, is not a convenient product to be stored, that is, it is advised to prepare the product every time it will be consumed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to eliminate the inconveniences of the prior art, the applicant, that operates in the food field, has developed the present method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption, preferably a “Bologna sauce” that is packed in a flexible pouch type package, mostly known as “pouch”, that is able to remain stable at room temperature, therefore not requiring refrigeration to be preserved, transported, stored and exposed for sale, therefore, right after having been produced it can be immediately stored at ambient temperature, consequently not requiring to be transported in vehicles provided with refrigeration chambers to the distribution center and/or point of sale.

The product when prepared according to the present method, since inside the commercial establishment where it will be marketed, could be displayed in common exposition displays, that is, it is not required to expose the product in refrigerating displays.

On the other hand, the consumer, when acquiring the product displayed at room temperature, will be able to carry same for hours or days inside his/her vehicle, without the need of worrying about the temperature, since the product, besides not requiring refrigeration, can also stand sudden temperature changes, and the consumer, for example, can keep the product stored in his/her ranch and/or country seat, or even in a camping, for days and months without possessing a refrigerator, and he/she can simply keep the package intact, that is, hermetically sealed, so that both the quality and the original characteristics of the product will be kept, and the product will be ready for the consumption at any time, only requiring same to be heated.

Since it is an extremely convenient product, that is, a product that can be served at any time without requiring special conditions for the preparation thereof and assuring the consumer that it is of excellent quality that fulfills his/her expectations, for, as will be demonstrated, it is a method for manufacturing a tomato plus ground beef sauce in optimum amounts that match the actual Bologna sauce.

Another advantage the consumer is provided with by the “pouch” type package is the that it can be put into a microwave oven, wherein it can heated without the need to be unwrapped from its original package.

Such fact, in its own, benefits most of the consumers, distributors and traders in many ways.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the present description in order to get a better understanding of the characteristics of the present invention and in accordance with a preferential practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached to the description, wherein, in an exemplary but not limiting way, the following is shown:

FIG. 1 illustrates a flowchart representative of the novel manufacturing method; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a preferential representation of the pouch type package (“pouch”) in a front and back view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption which is packed in a flexible plastic pouch type package kept stable at room temperature, which is a method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption, preferably a “Bologna sauce” (M) packed in a flexible pouch type package (BL), mostly known as “pouch”, whose peripheral edge is thermally sealed (V); said manufacturing method allowing the sauce (M) packed in a pouch type package (BL) to be kept stable at room temperature, therefore not requiring refrigeration to be preserved, transported, stored and/or exposed for sale and stored for consumption.

The present method for manufacturing a food article of the “Bologna sauce” type comprises the following steps:

1) Receiving the raw material: All the ingredients—beef, tomato and inputs—as well as the packages are received in accordance with the technical specification of each of them;

2) Process for the preparation of the ingredients and raw material for manufacturing the product; processing the ingredients beef and sauce;

3) Packaging: after the right amount of baked, seasoned and roasted ground meat, as well as the dosage of stewed and seasoned tomato sauce is placed inside the special plastic pouches, the packaging machines removes the oxygen present in said pouches and seals same immediately;

4) Sterilization: after being hermetically sealed, the pouch type packages are sent to the sterilization process to be carried out in autoclaves;

5) Cooling: after the packages are sterilized, they must be cooled quickly in chlorinated water (5 ppm) until they reach the temperature of 35° C., so that they retain heat enough to dry;

6) Incubation: after the cooling, a lot of 1,000 units is collected and incubated in a room the temperature of which should range between 34° C. and 38° C. during a minimum 10 day period, for the purpose of stimulating the growth of microorganisms that may be present in the product in the event of any failure in the sterilization process; still during the incubation process, the product is subject to a number of microbiological analyses, to guarantee that it is indeed sterile and safe for the human consumption;

7) Secondary packaging: after the sterilization, cooling and incubation, the product does not require special care any longer, and can be conditioned in boxes and displays, for transportation and commercialization.

8) This process is carried out in secondary packaging rooms that are kept at room temperature. The secondary packages are duly identified by showing the production lot, date of validity, among others, and subject to a process wherein the packages are visually checked, tagged, cleaned and bear comments duly recorded.

9) Shipment.

The step of receiving raw material has the following technical characteristics:

I) receiving the raw meat: in a sanitized place, the temperature of which is controlled, provided with the whole infrastructure required for performing a complete check and inspection of the product;

II) receiving the inputs: both the spice and the tomato sauce are received in a refrigerated aseptic environment provided with the whole infrastructure required for receiving and checking all raw materials in accordance with the specifications thereof;

III) Lung chamber; where the products should be stored in accordance with their specifications, thus assuring the maintenance of the stability and characteristic of each of them until the moment the “Bologna sauce” is prepared; and

IV) receiving the packages (films for making the pouches).

The process for the preparation and assembly of the “Bologna sauce” is in accordance with the following technical characteristics:

a) Re-inspection of raw material and inputs;

b) Grinding of the Meat: it takes place by transferring the inspected and stored meat from refrigerating chambers to industrial grinding devices;

c) Water treatment: all the water used in the manufacturing process is subject to a filtering process, using filtering sequences, thus assuring the quality of the water to be used, as shown below;

Impounding.

Chlorine Dosing Device: a device provided with a peristaltic pump actuated by an electronic board having a engine speed control, delay timer for inputting the dosage with a 0 to 3 minute period, wherein the time for inputting the product indicated on the board through suitable commands can be chosen;

Filtering in a polishing filter: a polypropylene filter (a 50-micron filtering element)

Dechlorination: Activated coal Gr (the chlorine is removed through a coal filter).

Filtering in a polishing filter: a polypropylene filter (a 10-micron filtering element).

d) previous pre-cooking of the ground meat: in this process the meat is automatically transferred through a special conveyor from industrial grinders to continuous cookers.

After the grinding, the process is continuously fed to the cookers;

The ground meat is previously baked in treated water for a minimum 10 minute period at the water boiling temperature; and

The water boiling temperature (100° C.) is monitored every hour.

e) Mixer: where the meat, after having been cooked in the cookers, is transferred through endless threads made of stainless steel 304 with sanitary finishing especially made for this purpose; in the mixer, the pre-cooked ground meat is added together with all the ingredients, thus resulting a mixture at the right time;

f) Circular roaster: where the ground meat, after having been cooked and seasoned, are transferred through endless threads made of stainless steel 304 with finishing sanitary especially made for this purpose, wherein the meat will be roasted through an infrared light system without the need to use oil or fats, also especially built for this purpose;

g) X-rays—non radioactive, for detecting possible strange objects that may be mixed to the ground, cooked and roasted meat, for example, metal, bone, plastic and others;

h) Electronic scale for the ground, cooked, seasoned and roasted meat, for the purpose of conditioning the correct amount of meat inside every flexible pouch type package.

i) Sauce dosing device, for the purpose of dosing the correct amount of sauce inside of the pouches wherein the meats are already present;

j) Vacuum packaging machines—after the correct amount of ground, cooked, seasoned and roasted meat, as well as the dosage of the stewed and seasoned tomato sauce, are placed inside the special plastic pouches, the packaging machine removes the oxygen present inside said pouches and seals same immediately, thus hermetically sealing the pouches so that they can be sterilized.

The product, just as produced by the present method, can be kept stable at room temperature, and therefore does not require refrigeration to be preserved, transported, stored and exposed for sale; obviously, the “Bologna sauce” keeps its characteristics and quality without the need of a cold chain (cooling and/or freezing) for such purpose; said manufacturing method could be applied to a number of different types of sauces that are usually sold under refrigeration presently.

It is important to understand that the present invention does not limit its application to the details and steps described herein. Other embodiments are possible and it can be practiced or realized in a variety of ways, and it should be understood that the terminology used has the purpose is that of description and not limitation. 

1. A method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption which is packed in a flexible plastic pouch type package kept stable at room temperature, which is a method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption, preferably a “Bologna sauce” (M) packed in a flexible pouch type package (BL), mostly known as “pouch”, whose peripheral edge is thermally sealed (V); said manufacturing method being characterized in that the sauce (M) packed in a pouch type package (BL) can be kept stable at room temperature, therefore not requiring refrigeration to be preserved, transported, stored and/or exposed for sale and stored for consumption; therefore, the method for producing a “Bologna sauce” type food article comprises the following steps: 1) Receiving the raw material: All the ingredients—beef, tomato and inputs—as well as the packages are received in accordance with the technical specification of each of them; 2) Process for the preparation of the ingredients and raw material for manufacturing the product; processing the ingredients beef and sauce; 3) Packaging: after the right amount of baked, seasoned and roasted ground meat, as well as the dosage of stewed and seasoned tomato sauce is placed inside the special plastic pouches, the packaging machines removes the oxygen present in said pouches and seals same immediately; 4) Sterilization: after being hermetically sealed, the pouch type packages are sent to the sterilization process to be carried out in autoclaves; 5) Cooling: after the packages are sterilized, they must be cooled quickly in chlorinated water (5 ppm) until they reach the temperature of 35° C., so that they retain heat enough to dry; 6) Incubation: after the cooling, a lot of 1,000 units is collected and incubated in a room the temperature of which should range between 34° C. and 38° C. during a minimum 10 day period, for the purpose of stimulating the growth of microorganisms that may be present in the product in the event of any failure in the sterilization process; still during the incubation process, the product is subject to a number of microbiological analyses, to guarantee that it is indeed sterile and safe for the human consumption; 7) Secondary packaging: after the sterilization, cooling and incubation, the product does not require special care any longer, and can be conditioned in boxes and displays, for transportation and commercialization. 8) This process is carried out in secondary packaging rooms that are kept at room temperature. The secondary packages are duly identified by showing the production lot, date of validity, among others, and subject to a process wherein the packages are visually checked, tagged, cleaned and bear comments duly recorded. 9) Shipment.
 2. The method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption which is packed in a flexible plastic pouch type package kept stable at room temperature according to claim 1, characterized by comprising the step of receiving raw material, provided with the following technical characteristics: I) receiving the raw meat: in a sanitized place, the temperature of which is controlled, provided with the whole infrastructure required for performing a complete check and inspection of the product; II) receiving the inputs: both the spice and the tomato sauce are received in a refrigerated aseptic environment provided with the whole infrastructure required for receiving and checking all raw materials in accordance with the specifications thereof; III) Lung chamber; where the products should be stored in accordance with their specifications, thus assuring the maintenance of the stability and characteristic of each of them until the moment the “Bologna sauce” is prepared; and IV) receiving the packages (films for making the pouches).
 3. The method for manufacturing a food article for immediate consumption which is packed in a flexible plastic pouch type package kept stable at room temperature according to the previous claims, characterized in that the process for the preparation and assembly of the “Bologna sauce” is comprised of the following technical characteristics: a) Re-inspection of raw material and inputs; b) Grinding of the Meat: it takes place by transferring the inspected and stored meat from refrigerating chambers to industrial grinding devices; c) Water treatment: all the water used in the manufacturing process is subject to a filtering process, using filtering sequences, thus assuring the quality of the water to be used, as shown below; Impounding; Chlorine Dosing Device: a device provided with a peristaltic pump actuated by an electronic board having a engine speed control, delay timer for inputting the dosage with a 0 to 3 minute period, wherein the time for inputting the product indicated on the board through suitable commands can be chosen; Filtering in a polishing filter: a polypropylene filter (a 50-micron filtering element) Dechlorination: Activated coal Gr (the chlorine is removed through a coal filter). Filtering in a polishing filter: a polypropylene filter (a 10-micron filtering element); d) previous pre-cooking of the ground meat: in this process the meat is automatically transferred through a special conveyor from industrial grinders to continuous cookers; After the grinding, the process is continuously fed to the cookers; The ground meat is previously baked in treated water for a minimum 10 minute period at the water boiling temperature; and The water boiling temperature (100° C.) is monitored every hour. e) Mixer: where the meat, after having been cooked in the cookers, is transferred through endless threads made of stainless steel 304 with sanitary finishing especially made for this purpose; in the mixer, the pre-cooked ground meat is added together with all the ingredients, thus resulting a mixture at the right time; f) Circular roaster: where the ground meat, after having been cooked and seasoned, are transferred through endless threads made of stainless steel 304 with finishing sanitary especially made for this purpose, wherein the meat will be roasted through an infrared light system without the need to use oil or fats, also especially built for this purpose; g) X-rays—non radioactive, for detecting possible strange objects that may be mixed to the ground, cooked and roasted meat, for example, metal, bone, plastic and others; h) Electronic scale for the ground, cooked, seasoned and roasted meat, for the purpose of conditioning the correct amount of meat inside every flexible pouch type package; i) Sauce dosing device, for the purpose of dosing the correct amount of sauce inside of the pouches wherein the meats are already present; j) Vacuum packaging machines—after the correct amount of ground, cooked, seasoned and roasted meat, as well as the dosage of the stewed and seasoned tomato sauce, are placed inside the special plastic pouches, the packaging machine removes the oxygen present inside said pouches and seals same immediately, thus hermetically sealing the pouches so that they can be sterilized. 